Invasive species have become widespread in aquatic environments throughout the world, yet there are few studies that have examined genomic variation of multiple introduced species in newly colonized environments. In this study, we contrast genomic variation in two salmonid species (anadromous Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, 11,579 SNPs and resident Brook Charr Salvelinus fontinalis, 13,522 SNPs) with differing invasion success after introduction to new environments in South America relative to populations from their native range in North America. Estimates of genetic diversity were not significantly different between introduced and source populations for either species, indicative of propagule pressure that has been shown to maintain diversity in founding populations relative to their native range. Introduced populations also demonstrated higher connectivity and gene flow than those in their native range. Evidence for candidate loci under divergent selection was observed, but was limited to specific introduced populations and was not widely evident. Patterns of genomic variation were consistent with general dispersal potential of each species and therefore also the notion that life history variation may contribute to both invasion success and subsequent genetic structure of these two salmonids in Patagonia.

The Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides is one of the most important fisheries from the Southern Ocean. The biology of this species is relatively well studied and some nutritionals issues have also been reported; however there is no information about the composition of the bacterial community of the gastrointestinal tract, which is essential to characterize the microbiota of this fish. The bacterial flora of D. eleginoides is here described for the first time using culturable methods. By applying traditional culture-based techniques and 16S rDNA sequencing methods it was possible to characterize the families Vibronaceae and Moraxellaceae, which were mainly represented by Vibrio and Psychrobacter, respectively. This Patagonian fish shows a microbiota very similar to other cold waters fishes.

Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia AIP es una revista científica que publica los resultados de investigaciones multidisciplinarias sobre biociencias tanto marina como terrestres, con especial énfasis en ecología, zoología, botánica y sus respectivas subdisciplinas aplicadas. Abordando estos temas en forma específica de cada disciplina o desde una forma transdisciplinaria.

The sustainable meeting of the global quest for ruminant intensification dictates the need to identify alternative, eco-friendly, and safe feed ingredients. In this sense, macroalgae offer a new paradigm in sustainable ruminant feed supply. This study aimed to investigate the potential of sub-Antarctic macroalgae, including Lessonia flavicans, Macrocystis pyrifera, Gigartina skottbergii, and Ulva Lactuca, regarding their chemical composition, in vitro gas production, and CH₄ production. A completely randomized design consisted of a 96 h (h) incubation that included four different species and a control (alfalfa hay) with buffered rumen fluid. In vitro total gas, fermentation characteristics, and CH₄ production were evaluated. The highest and the lowest crude protein (CP) contents were for U. lactuca (185.9 g/kg) and G. skottsbergi (86 g/kg), respectively (p < 0.0001). All macroalage had lower levels of natural detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) compared to alfalfa hay (p < 0.0001). The highest potential of gas production (b) was for M. pyriphera (162.8 mL gas/g DM), followed by alfalfa (119.3 mL gas/g DM). However, G. skottsbergi and M. pyriphera showed the highest dry matter degradability at 96 h (68.49 and 67.62 mg/100 mg, respectively; p < 0.0001) and microbial crude protein (679.8 and 669.8 mg/g, respectively, p < 0.0001). All four tested algae produced lower amounts of methane compared to alfalfa hay (p < 0.0001). After 24 h of incubation, M. pyriphera, L. flavicons, G. skottsbergi, and U. lactuca reduced CH₄ by 99.7%, 98.6%, 92.9%, and 79.8%, respectively, when compared with the control. Also, all tested algae had lower (p = 0.0001) CH₄ production (ml CH₄/g Dry matter degradability, DMD) than alfalfa hay. The current results suggest that M. pyriphera and L. flavicons are promising feed additives for ruminants with eco-friendly production and acceptable CP content and DMD that could effectively mitigate CH₄ emissions. Overall, these findings suggest that macroalgae hold promise as a substitute feed source for sustaining ruminant production at the onset of global warming.